Sent all my reg customers my day before text reminder and one customer (8 weekly clean) reply back saying don't worry about cleaning this time as there still clean. Maybe I should text back its ok it will be double the price nxt time as there twice as dirty lol. What would you people do?
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Customer says dont clean my windows this time as there still clean
- Thread starter Shinyboy
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ched999uk
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- Lancashire
Sort of depends on if you need the work but with the uncertain times coming it might be worth replying, no problem, the price for a 16 weekly clean will be 50% more than an 8 week. Would you like me to book you in for 8 weeks at £1x or 16 weeks at £1.5x? Worst case they dump you.
Hi ched. Tbh mate i don't need the work. Im rammed and better jobs do come in.. But like you say. Reply back to them and if they dump me then never mind. Cheers wayne
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As @spruce says, we're paid to keep their windows clean. The occasional miss for a genuine reason, holiday etc, we accept. Constant skipping is a dump for us.
Nosey
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I only offer 4 weekly and am straight with them, that’s all I offer. Most of the time they come round and understand. They wouldn’t like it if they turned up to work and their employer said not today haha. Obviously when there is building work going on or other such circumstances I don’t mind. But I’ve always thought why should I change it to bi monthly if I then need to find another customer to fill the month in between. Obviously if it’s not out of your way and say next door to a job then it’s probably worth it. Maybe I’m just stubborn and don’t like the customer trying to dictate to me. But then again I am busy and just don’t like the feeling of being used.
AndyD
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Not had anyone cancel me yet, but had one the other day saying they want to go bi monthly instead which is annoying, also kind of took it personal as well tbh, don’t know why?? Almost feel like I shouldn’t clean the windows so well and perhaps they would’ve kept me on a monthly basis ?
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Instant dump if there is no valid reason not to clean they have agreed to an 8 weekly clean they have now broken the verbal agreement bye bye ?
Sean murray
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- Ireland
This annoys me. The whole point of having a regular service is so your windows are never dirty. Not to leave them until they are bogging so you think you are getting your monies worth.
Double the dirt double the price?
Double the dirt double the price?
Jaygti
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If you need the money, suck it up.
If you don’t then dump them.
If you don’t then dump them.
scottish cleaning service
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Just explain the conditions of the service. I have one that does it but she isn't well and I am happy to continue with her because she was one of my first customers but anyone else I would play their game. I wouldn't go back and when they text I would say I'm fully booked now so you will need to find someone else.
The customer ALWAYS has the right to cancel at any time. This is why I leave a next clean date on the bills, when they pay for the last clean they are in effect agreeing to the next clean under contract by my receipt of that payment. I also get them to understand that the are also paying for an appointment slot, and that slot is chargeable at the full rate if we cannot get access to all of the property on the due dates/or they decide to be plonkers and cancel within 24 hours of the appointment due date. I also don't have to text/call every day effectively asking for permission to come and clean, just turn up and do it.
So no matter what happens, they forget to leave access, or they cancel I still get paid full rate. If they don't like it they are welcome to find someone else.
It works very well.
So no matter what happens, they forget to leave access, or they cancel I still get paid full rate. If they don't like it they are welcome to find someone else.
It works very well.
This is when we activate the 3 strikes policy.
We would tolerate a couple of these excuses to leave them "this time as they are still clean" but on the third time we would just say that it is evident that our services are no longer required by you, and thank you for your past business. Even if we needed the business, these type of customers are not worth it. They are wasting your time when you could be looking for new customers.
The old moto of the 3 C's applies no matter how much you need the business; canvass, clean, cull. It's the only way to develop a good round of loyal customers.
In the days when most people paid cash after the clean, we started to realize that this "leave them as they are still clean" excuse could also be that they didn't have cash on them to pay on the day. We used to collect every Friday evening, so would just mention that if they didn't have money on them, then we would collect on Friday. That solved some of the issues.
Most excuses in what ever form boil down to either poor workmanship or money. If you are doing a good job, then the issue is more than likely to be money. And no one likes to admit they have money issues.
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Very similar to yourself but new sign-ups get a link to the information page on my website which outlines my service, text reminders and what's expected of them regarding access and cancellations and that the full rate will be charged, some clearly don't read the page or forget but they get full charged price
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We are happy to leave a clean if there is a genuine reason ,decorating,new windows being fitted ,building work etc , but won’t tolerate they look clean or looks like it might rain type of scenario, theses ones are an instant dump as we spell all this type of thing out at quoting stage ,so there is no excuse for a cancellation.
I currently have one who has cancelled due to "work being done on the windows" for....6 months. Lets just say I won't be going back in a hurry, especially as there hasn't been a single work van/company glazing van outside their house within those 6 months.
On the same street I have another one with the same gap in between cleans, but I will be going back as it was a badly timed mix of emergancy repair, insurance claim, and final repair to a lot of pipework under the driveway and through the garden making access impossible, and I've seen vans and workmen there constantly. It is all about context and reasons IMO.
On the same street I have another one with the same gap in between cleans, but I will be going back as it was a badly timed mix of emergancy repair, insurance claim, and final repair to a lot of pipework under the driveway and through the garden making access impossible, and I've seen vans and workmen there constantly. It is all about context and reasons IMO.
scottish cleaning service
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Once you build up a good customer base then you just don't go back. Time is our most precious possession so I would rather clean a house that I Know I will be paid to clean. It just takes the stress out of our work. I'm now taking 3 weeks a month to clean windows. If anyone causes me grief then I'm more than happy to let them go. All my jobs seem to grow arms and legs at the moment as well as windows due to their neighbours enquiring.
Cghwindowcleaning
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Perhaps they are having money troubles or worries.
if I have a customer that has been good and regular for a number of years and the duration of the time and they asked to miss for 1 clean I really wouldn’t see a problem with.
Constant skipping or missing then don’t think about it or over analyse it just move on.
if I have a customer that has been good and regular for a number of years and the duration of the time and they asked to miss for 1 clean I really wouldn’t see a problem with.
Constant skipping or missing then don’t think about it or over analyse it just move on.
scottish cleaning service
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What we resist usually persists. That's the lesson I have learned in my short time window cleaning.
Tell then that's because they have a regular window cleaner, your job is to keep their windows looking clean, why do they want a period of dirty looking windows?
JohnDoeWindows
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- Grimsby
Not to hijack the topic or anything, but when dumping a customer under these kind of circumstances, do you always text to let them know or just don't go back?
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